this Christmas season has been strange. i have found it quite difficult to get into and remain in "the Christmas spirit". part of this is the fact that in early december i was still playing in the water at the beach (and even now when it is decidedly cooler here in tenerife, it is still mid to upper 60s in the daytime and i can see palm trees.) part of it has been the fact that i am not home and don't have "home" coming to me (family visiting) or plans to go home during this season. part of it is the lack of bombardment of holiday stuff from the stores (due to lack of stores) and tv screen (again due to lack of tv viewing). and this one i am actually thankful for. i didn't have to start seeing Christmas decor and sales in the shops beginning before halloween was even over.
but there is a lot to do to "bring" Christmas here on the AFM. the normal community areas of the cafe/midships lounge/dining room are decorated with trees and garland and lights and ornaments. and our activities schedule is actually much more full than normal.
3rd--winter wonderland (craft booths and yummy winter treats to eat/drink)
9th--santa lucia (scandinavian holiday celebration usually on the 13th but we were sailing then.)
holiday movies on the weekends (White Christmas, The Christmas Story, Elf)
14th--cookie baking/decorating (i was a bit seasick then so i baked mine the next day)
15th--kids Christmas craft night. (adults helping kids do Christmas-y crafts and santa pics)
18th--kids Chrismtas play (written and performed by the academy students. they did a great job! it was funny and thoughtful and no mean feat for them to perform while sailing and having to do lines and maintain balance)
24th--Christmas dinner and service along with the dutch tradition of leaving gifts in shoes (although that happens on the 5th in the netherlands i think)
25th--Christmas brunch
31st--new year's eve ball and fireworks put on by the harbor
and we have had beautiful Advent services each sunday where Scriptures are read and Christmas hymns and carols are sung (although most of these are the british and not american english versions). each sunday we have a different special music offering...the first week was a song in portugese from our brazilian family, the second week was a song in the ghanian dialect by several african crew members, the third week was a song in korean and mandarin chinese by some of the asian/korean crew members, the fourth week was by some of our norwegian crew members.
below are some pics of the decor aboard. the first is a tree painted onto a glass door, the second a tree in the midships lounge, the next three are my cabin door and our next door neighbors and we combined our doors into a theme along the lines of elfyourself, the next is the cafe area and the last two are tayler and miriam in the miships stair area. not bad for a ship!
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